Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-02-24
INHUMA4 REPAYMENT.
fine Fright Cruelty 10 Which n
Little Girl was Subjected In iowa

Ehe FriRh Cruelty 10 which a
Little Girl was SubJs ciyd in Iowa
CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE Neios thiI
morning says About the middle d
March, 1882, Lizzie Ayers, a bright and
winning little girl of IL summers, was
transferred from the home for the friend
less in this city, to Troy, Iowa, and
placed in the family of Thomas Wales, O
wealthy Scotch farmer, who received her
on trial with view to her ultimate adop.
ton. A few months after this change
occurred in the management of the home,
and the child was lost sight of. About
three weeks ago the present matron of the
home received letter from prominent
gentleman in Troy stating that girl who
had been adopted into the family of gnt
Thomas Wales had fallen into bad hands
and was suffering great abnse.
The case was at once plaeeo. Isshe
hands of Officer Dudley of the Humant
Society, and he was instructed to investi-
gate. Mr.. Dudley set out immediately
and arrived in Troy last Monday. Wales
farm is 10 miles in the country. Mr.
Wales was not at home when Mr.. DUDLEY
was there, but Mrs. Wales received tn.
officer, who made known his business and
drANd " roo thb pultu- ilt WtIlhH
declined to produce her. Mr.. Dudley
began tour of inspection and was re
warded by finding the object of his
search hidden behind an old trunk in the
closet. He dragged her out and, never
BEFORE" said he, in speaking of the mat
ter last night, "have seen so piteous q
sight"
The appearance of the child was
enough TO more than confirm all the
stories told. She was crippled SO she
could scarcely walk. Her back was
bumped and her person was as grimy and
dirty as coal digger's. Her dress which
looked like an old gunny sack was in
rags, and she had not stitch of under
clothing. Her feet were encased in o
pair of mems felt overshoes, and her
stockings consisted of old rags which had
evidently been picked mp in the back
yard. Her hands had been frozen and
were soro aud swelled to fully twice
their natural size. / looked at
the child and then at the
woman and the words l uttered
were not strictly pious. l carried
the girl out and drove her to Marengo
where had her examined by aphysician.
The doctor said he could find no bruises
on her to indicate that she had been
beaten, but that she was in terrible con-
dition from overwork and exposure and
that she could never entirely recover from
the results of the abuse to which she had
been subjected. l inquired further con-
cerning the case. I learned that when
Lizzie was received into Wales family
she was at once put to doing chores about
the barn. Although of frail tempera-
ment she was compelled to lug water for
the stock, chop wood, milk and per-
form the labor of farm hand.
She was driven from bed at 5
O'Clock in the morning, when the ther-
mometer was below zero, and made to
wade through miles of snow to feed the
cattle and was frequently badly frozen.
She was not allowed TO go to school for
any length of time. She was never
inside of q church while there, although
Wales and his wife are strict church
members. The girl has not spoken a
word since I first saw her. Her mind
seems to be an entire blank and fear
that she will be hopeless idiot. Mr..
Dudley said the directors uf the home
had decided on beginning proceedings
against Wales for cruelty and that he
would, undoubtedly, be punished.